"Katie, you're back."
"Aye."
"Are you better?"
"I am."
"Good. The nobles wish to meet with us," said William.
Katie followed her brother to the front of the camp.
Craig spoke. "Sir William and Lady Katie, we come to seek a meeting."
"Are we not having it?" asked Katie.
"We seek an official meeting."
"You're all sworn to Longshanks," said William.
"An oath to a liar is no oath at all. An oath to a patriot is a vow indeed. Every man of us is ready to swear to loyalty to you."
Katie looked at him for a long moment. "So let the council swear publicly."
"We bid you, William Wallace, to Edinburgh. Meet us at the city gates, two days from now, at sunset. Pledge us your pardon and we will unite behind you. Scotland will be one."
Katie turned to William. "It's a trap. Don't go."
"I will meet you," said William. "But only if Robert the Bruce is there and he puts his hand on the Bible and swears his loyalty to Scotland."
Craig hesitated but said, "He will be there."
As soon as the nobles where gone, Hamish and Stephen came up to the Wallaces.
"You know it's a trap." Hamish's green eyes where dark.
"Probably. But we can't win alone," said William.
"William, please, do not go," whispered Katie. "I…I couldn't bare to loose you."
William held her close.
"I don't want to be a martyr," said Hamish.
"Nor I!" exclaimed William. "I want to live! I want a home and children and peace. I've asked God for those things. But He's brought me this sword. And if He wills that I must lay it down to have what He wants for my country, then I'll do that too."
Katie shook her head and looked up at her brother. "That's just a dream, William!"
"We've lived a dream together. A dream of a freedom."
William stood by his horse. "Katie, promise me…" he stopped.
"Anything," she whispered.
"Watch after Isabelle for me."
"Isabelle?"
Quietly, William told her most of the meeting he had had with the Princess. She figured out the rest. "You'll watch out for her?"
"I will."
William kissed her forehead.
"I love you, brother."
"And I love you, sister."
"Robert! Robert!"
Robert looked up as Craig burst into the room. "What is it?"
"William Wallace comes."
Robert's eyes narrowed. "You fool!" he shouted. He jumped up and grabbed Craig. He spun him around and slammed him against the door. "What have you done?" Robert let him drop to the ground and ran over to the window. He saw William ridding in alone slowly. "Here and unarmed. My God, he has a braveheart." Then he turned and ran from the room.
William dismounted in the courtyard and looked up just as the door banged up.
"Get out, William! It's a trap! Run!" shouted Robert as he ran down the stairs. "Get out!"
William turned. Just as he was punched in the face.
Robert stopped stock still and watched in horror as English soldiers swarmed out of his castle and surrounded William. And dragged him away.
Craig appeared at the top of the stairs behind him. "Now…we will have peace."
Something broke in Katie and she turned and ran from the tent. She swung herself up onto the nearest horse and rode away as if the very devils from hell where chasing her.
"My lord, the Lady Katie has been seen coming this way."
Robert dropped his face in his hands. He looked down at his left hand. There was a cloth in it. It had fallen from William's pocket when they had dragged him away. It was faded white home spun and embroidered with purple thistles. "Very well," he said at last. He tucked the cloth into his pocket and left the room.
Katie galloped through the gate and almost ran over Robert. She jumped off the horse's back and into his arms. "Robert, where's the meeting?"
"We where both lied to, Katie." Robert clung to her. She stilled in his arms. "I knew nothing about a meeting. Craig came to me the day you left and told me Longshanks' price for Scotland's throne was for me to deliver William Wallace over and I refused. But Craig came to me this morning and told me William was ridding in and I knew he had done a terrible thing. I tried to warn him but it was too late."
"No," whispered Katie. "No!"
Robert kept her from falling to the ground. He lifted her up in his arms and carried her inside.
A procession of heavily armed soldiers made it's way towards the palace. William was tied to an unsaddled horse.
All along both sides of the road, people had gathered.
"Don't look so fearsome, does he!"
Edward looked at his father, who lay in bed. Longshanks' breath rattled ominously in his chest and Edward smiled. He stood and left the room.
Isabelle was waiting for him. "Is it true? William Wallace has been captured?"
"Simply because he eluded your trap, did you think he was more than a man? My father is dying. Perhaps you should think of our coronation."
"What of his sister?"
"She is but a woman. I care nothing about her."
"When will his trial be?" asked Isabelle as she followed Edward down the hall.
"For treason, there is no trial. Tomorrow he will be charged, then executed."